KIDZBUZZ PAGE: The history of the Christmas tree
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/ghns_pages/x795099187/Weekly-NIE-page-Tree-tradition

PRINT ADS FOR JANUARY 2012 CALLOUTS: Promote the callouts that will be syndicated to your Local Loop sections Jan. 2
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/reader_callouts/x301188721/January-2012-callouts-print-ads?page=None

2012 JOBS OUTLOOK PAGES: Two broadsheet pages on industries that are hiring, and on changing workplaces
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/ghns_pages/x405440542/2012-Jobs-Outlook-pages

IRAQ WAR TIMELINE: The war in Iraq began on March 20, 2003, and ended on Dec. 15. Here’s a look at some of the key events of the war.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x1658266583/Iraq-War-timeline

The Street

MICROSOFT: CES 2012 will be our last -- Microsoft announced that the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show would be its last. By Chris Ciaccia, The Street
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business/x1481469469/Microsoft-CES-2012-Will-Be-Our-Last

TECH: Tech's best CEO of 2011: poll -- TheStreet readers named Symantec's chief as the best tech CEO of 2011. By Chris Ciaccia, The Street
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business/x1386887854/Techs-Best-CEO-of-2011-Poll

Find more news from The Street at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business

Lifestyles

-BEST OF 2011--
See more at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/holidays_seasonal/new_year

CHRISTMAS CONTENT: Pages, callouts, features and more
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/highlights/x729319030/Christmas-content

RELIGION NEWS: Top 10 stories of 2011 -- weekly Religion News with the top religion stories of 2011, "A Christmas Wedding" by James Patterson and more. GHNS
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/ebyline/religion/x2084005574/Religion-News-Top-10-stories-of-2011

YARDSMART: Orchids can survive holidays with TLC - I appreciate orchids most in winter, when large spray of bright flowers chases away the doldrums. They make such wonderful holiday gifts because their blooms last for weeks, sometimes even months. Orchids add festive color in lieu of short-lived poinsettias. By Maureen Gilmer, Scripps Howard.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x1157706071/Yardsmart-Orchids-can-survive-holidays-with-TLC

HOMEFIX: Ducts don't always have to be insulated - Q: I inherited a concrete block building that was then converted into a home several years ago. Part of it has a crawlspace and part is on a concrete slab. The crawlspace is always damp, and the furnace ductwork is covered with a fiberglass insulation. A termite contractor recently found mold growth on the wood floors and under the duct's insulation. By Dwight Barnett, Scripps Howard.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x1479408530/Homefix-Ducts-dont-always-have-to-be-insulated

INTERIORS: Christmas mitten garland warms décor - Though there are just a few days left before Christmas, that's OK. We still have time to make one more special decoration that we can use now and year after year. I'm talking about a mitten garland. You can drape it on a mantel or around the Christmas tree. Or you can tack it around a doorway. By Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, Scripps Howard.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x1479408536/Interiors-Christmas-mitten-garland-warms-decor

SEWING: Sewing gets boost from economy, creative urges - Candice Hodgin received a sewing machine from a relative and said she's "just itching to use it." She wants to make fashionable skirts, tailor her jeans, mend clothes and churn out curtains, pillows and other home decor. "I have these fantasies," she said, beaming. By Barbara Bradley, Scripps Howard.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x885899207/Sewing-gets-boost-from-economy-creative-urges

HOBBIES: Make a paper garland - Paper garlands are a great go-to decoration for me because they're quick and I usually have all the materials on hand. For this holiday project, I used leftover pieces of scrapbooking paper and recycled white computer paper. This is also a great project to do with kids because making snowflakes is fun at any age. By Dena Fishbein, Scripps Howard.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x885899227/Hobbies-Make-a-paper-garland

DIANA BOGGIA: Make recycling holiday trash into fun activities - Children can learn to recycle by reusing items from holiday gifts. When they learn that old things can turn into something new and useful, they may begin to look at trash differently. By Diana Boggia, Canton, Ohio.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/holidays_seasonal/christmas/x1569717548/Diana-Boggia-Make-recycling-holiday-trash-into-fun-activities

NEW YEAR'S HEALTH: Steve Bernardi and Dr. Gary Kracoff: Small steps to a healthier life in 2012 -- Many of us recognize the importance of wellness, but our busy lives get in the way, leading us to making excuses for not achieving better health. Here are five things you can do today that will get you on the road to better health. MetroWest Daily News (Mass.)
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/ebyline/health_and_fitness/x885898294/Steve-Bernardi-and-Dr-Gary-Kracoff-Small-steps-to-a-healthier-life-in-2012

DR. JEFF HERSH: How common are childhood brain tumors? -- Q: My neighbor’s son was just diagnosed with a brain tumor. How common is this? A: Tumors are abnormal cells that grow in a poorly controlled or uncontrolled fashion, and they can be benign or malignant. MetroWest Daily News (Mass.)
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/ebyline/health_and_fitness/x1587715531/Dr-Jeff-Hersh-How-common-are-childhood-brain-tumors

BUTTONED UP: Christmas dinner shortcuts -- All too often, the cook ends up slaving in the kitchen and missing out on quality time with everyone else. The key to avoiding this fate is organization. We've put together some simple shortcuts to minimize kitchen time on the big day so you can maximize time with your guests. Sarah Welch and Alicia Rockmore/ Scripps Howard News Service
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x2084005710/Buttoned-Up-Christmas-dinner-shortcuts

TREASURES: Glass rolling pin may be worth dough -- I believe this glass rolling pin may have been made by my grandfather's brother, Joseph Pote. He was a glassblower around the late 1800s and lived in East Stroudsburg, Pa., for a while. Scripps Howard News Service
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x1587717385/Treasures-Glass-rolling-pin-may-be-worth-dough

MIKE MORAN: How men and women Christmas shop -- At this time of year, when someone asks, “Are you ready?” the question refers to only one thing: It’s a request for a status report on the annual ritual of Christmas shopping. Herald News Columnist (Mass.)
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/ebyline/family/x545129020/Mike-Moran-How-men-and-women-Christmas-shop

HOME STYLE: Last-minute holiday decorating ideas -- Been too busy to decorate for the holidays? Believe me, I've been there. Never fear: There is still time to change your home from bah-humbug to merry and bright. Here are six festive fixes you can do in minutes. Mary Carol Garrity/ Scripps Howard News Services
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x1980196133/Home-Style-Last-minute-holiday-decorating-ideas

More in home and family at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle

Entertainment

STAY TUNED: It's the ‘Hard Knocks’ life for me - Recently, I spent most of my Sunday watching football. I mean really watching. The kind of paying attention where I'm thinking about the plays being called and listening to the commentators. I'm sure my dad would like to think that his years of talking to me about football scores have finally paid off, but I really owe my newly discovered interest to HBO's “Hard Knocks.” By Melissa Crawley, GHNS.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x2127212126/Stay-Tuned-Its-the-Hard-Knocks-life-for-me

NEW MOVIES: 'A Dangerous Method,' 'War Horse' – A glance at this week’s new movies. By Al Alexander, The Patriot Ledger.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/ebyline/entertainment/x1282420328/New-movies-A-Dangerous-Method-War-Horse
* Poll/Facebook idea: Ask readers if they plan to see any of these over Christmas weekend.

BRIAN MACKEY: Pausing to appreciate those who molded us -- On the surface, there are the many great aphorisms of characters, like Spock’s admonition that “having is not so nearly pleasing a thing as wanting.” There’s also the show’s celebration of culture: Shakespeare, Byron and other luminaries. Brian Mackey/ The State Journal-Register (Ill)
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/entertainment/x1980195866/Brian-Mackey-Pausing-to-appreciate-those-who-molded-us

GARY DARLING: Peter Jackson,?Christopher Nolan deliver the best gifts of all -- My early presents were here, and I was excited to open them. Was it a new Android tablet or a brand-new car? No, it was the debut of the new “The Dark Knight Rises” and “The Hobbit” movie trailers. Maryville (Mo.) Daily Forum
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/ebyline/entertainment/x1569717727/Gary-Darling-Peter-Jackson-Christopher-Nolan-deliver-the-best-gifts-of-all

More in music and movies at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/entertainment

Opinions

JERRY MOORE: Yuletide warriors on both sides must rethink tactics - As Americans, debating important issues is our birthright. But carrying out a “war” over how to acknowledge the holidays does not honor this season of peace. By Jerry Moore, Chicago Suburban.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/holidays_seasonal/christmas/x1587717190/Jerry-Moore-Yuletide-warriors-on-both-sides-must-rethink-tactics
* Poll idea: Ask the same question that Jerry mentions in his column.

RICK HOLMES: The verdict on Tarek Mehanna -- I haven’t sat through every day of a trial since my cub reporter days, and since then, I’ve tried not to second-guess a jury based on my own limited exposure to the evidence. My resolve is sorely tested by a verdict on Dec. 20 finding Tarek Mehanna guilty on all counts. The MetroWest Daily News (Mass.)
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/ebyline/opinions/x885898288/Rick-Holmes-The-verdict-on-Tarek-Mehanna

More columns and cartoons at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/opinions

Business

BIZ BITS: How to pursue your passion through a career change - Weekly business rail, with tips on making a career change, BBB donation advice and more. By GHNS.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x795099353/Biz-Bits-How-to-pursue-your-passion-through-a-career-change
* Localization tip: You could include a weekly tax tip from a local expert, have a business-related Q&A with a local expert or do a “business of the week” feature in which you highlight a local business.

MAKING CENTS: Higher level of financial advice can affect cost - The demand for financial advice is growing. I believe the aging of America, complexity in the tax code and unusual financial markets are the primary causes. As such, the business of giving advice is also growing, and you should recognize whether you are getting the advice that you need, and better understand how much and how you are paying for that advice. By John P. Napolitano, The Patriot Ledger.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business/x1479408241/Making-Cents-Higher-level-of-financial-advice-can-affect-cost

More in tech and finance at www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business

Sports

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATION: Kellen Moore one of the best college QBs ever - Kellen Moore was nobody coming out of high school in the spring of 2007. He was a three-star recruit, according to Rivals.com, a middling quarterback prospect from Prosser, Wash., who only got three scholarship offers, and two of those were from Eastern Washington and Idaho. But Moore, whose collegiate career ended late last night in the Las Vegas Bowl against Arizona State, will head off to the NFL as one of the most successful quarterbacks to ever play college football. By Eric Avidon, MetroWest, Mass.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/sports/x1980196082/College-Football-Nation-Kellen-Moore-one-of-the-best-college-QBs-ever

More in NFL and baseball at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/sports

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